19 May

The first meeting to discuss the centenary celebration of the Myanmar Motion Picture industry was held at Sky Star Hotel in Tamwe, Yangon, yesterday.

In his opening address at the meeting, Union Minister for Information Dr. Pe Myint said that the centenary celebration of Myanmar’s motion picture industry is a matter of pride for the film community and the country, as well, expressing his delight at the preparations for the event and in his meeting the attendees.

Also, U Phyo Min Thein, the Chief Minister of Yangon spoke of the support his office will provide, and the Chairman of the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization, U Zin Wine, explained the purpose of the celebration and proposed some suggestions.

Pro-Rector of the Nation University of Art and Culture, U Myat Thu Ya, President of Myanmar Motion Picture Organization U Aung Myint Myat, guests and participants also discussed their contributions to the the celebration.

U Zin Wine expressed words of thanks for the suggestions offered by the attendees, and called on the youths of the community to actively take part in celebrating the centenary of Myanmar’s motion picture industry.

He also suggested holding a workshop on developing programmes for TV, as well as to prepare movies related to the Tatmadaw in 100 years as part of the celebrations.

In his remarks, Union Minister Dr. Pe Myint said both the Ministry of Information and the State Counsellor took much interest in the development of the Myanmar film industry, adding that he hoped all would be satisfy as the Ministry of Information and other ministries take part in holding the event.

However, as it is the centenary of Myanmar’s film industry, the film community is mainly responsible for preparing the celebration of the centenary event, he said.

On behalf of the Ministry of Information, the Union minister offered the ministry’s full help in those sectors which are concerned with the ministry, so that members of the film community can celebrate the event.

He also expressed his opinion that programs related to film art at the event should be excellent and stressed the need to hold the event with the full participation of all people from different sectors related to film.

He also suggested that the film community develop the idea of how to celebrate a modern centenary, rather than modeling the event after the silver, gold and diamond anniversaries of the past. He further said that ideas for holding the celebration can come from previous silver jubilee, golden jubilee and diamond jubilees of the Myanmar Motion Picture, and he urged the film community to review international celebrations that were similar to this event.

The Union Minister urged the representatives of the film community to make efforts to hold a grand celebration.

The centenary celebrations of the Myanmar Motion Picture will be held on 13 October, 2020, with the aim of portraying the significance that the Myanmar motion picture achieved, along with efforts to gain independence, to honour artistes and technicians who were diligent in successive eras of the film industry, and to bring about the development of the future film industry through the unity of the film community, including the old and new generations, and to pay back the gratitude owned by the film community to the people who supported the film industry for 100 years.

The meeting was attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and departmental officials, patrons of the Myanmar Movie Organization, artistes, partnership organizations and invited guests from different realms of the film community.—MNA